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Min & Bill
Directed by George W. Hill

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9 new or used available from $6.99

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Product Details

Amazon Sales Rank: #6195 in VHS
Released on: 1994-12-21
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Formats: Black & White, NTSC
Original language: English
Number of tapes: 1
Running time: 66 minutes

Customer Reviews

fine early "talkie" drama
Marie Dressler and Wallace Beery star in one of the earliest great "talkies" entitled Min & Bill. Min (Marie Dressler) runs a waterfront hotel and saloon and she has a special although platonic bond with one of the people who rent a room there, the good natured but not very smart drunkard Bill (Wallace Beery).

The plot begins when we see that for many years Min has taken care of Nancy (Dorothy Jordan), a young girl who was essentially left on Min's doorstep when she was just a baby. Min cares deeply for Nancy and Bill too; despite her rough exterior Min has a heart of gold and good common sense. Unfortunately, trouble starts when the truant officer threatens to close down Min's hotel unless Min allows Nancy to go to school; and Min must agree to cooperate with the truant officer.

Eventually quite a few plot twists happen--I didn't find this movie slow despite what anybody else thought. Eventually Min sends Nancy to a fancy girl's school and Bill and Min continue to live their lives even though Min privately misses Nancy desperately.

Things get really rough when both Nancy and Nancy's mother Bella Pringle (Marjorie Rambeau) come back to Min's saloon and hotel for their own reasons. Will Bill and Min be able to keep the irresponsible Bella from finding out that Nancy is her real daughter? How would Nancy handle things if she knew that Bella was her mother? What happens between Min and Bella after Bella insists on sticking around and mooching off her daughter Nancy? No plot spoilers here, folks--you'll have to watch the movie to fine out these answers.

The choreography didn't impress me very much; the scenes don't have any fancy footwork in them and I suspect that this could be because many of the cameras they used at the time could be difficult to move. The cinematography reflects good judgment in scenes including the speeding, out of control boat ride with Min and Nancy in the boat as well as the beautiful pictures of the bay where Min's hotel is located.

Overall, Min & Bill provides great entertainment. The plot moved along at a good pace and it held my attention rather well. Marie Dressler gives a stunning performance as Min; and Wallace Beery as Bill is every bit as good. I highly recommend this film for fans of early "talkie" movies that truly remain classic movies to this day.

Slow Paced
Min and Bill is a legendary film of classic Hollywood; it captures wonderful screen performances by two of the most unattractive faces of the silver screen: Marie Dressler and Wallace Beery. This movie was incredibly popular when it was released and the two were paired up again due to their strong chemistry.

The story surrounds a poor innkeeper on the waterfront (Dressler) who takes care of a girl named Nancy (Dorothy Jordan) she accepts as her daughter. The two are not related; it is explained that the girl was left on the doorstep for Min to take care of. Bill (Beery) is a friend of the two, a drunkard but a kindhearted fisherman. When the girl's mother, a fallen woman, returns for her daughter, Min turns hostile toward Nancy and throws her out in order to protect her. The girl is deeply hurt and although she is able to rise above her social class, she always returns to Min, hoping to recieve the motherly love she needs.

This film has a fine cast who work very well together and with the material. However, the beginning of the film is rather dull, and although it is only about an hour long, the movie seems longer because of the opening. Also, it suffers from symptoms many early talkies do: slow pacing, stiff camerawork, and poor sound quality.